Excavating machine



Sept. 21, 1965 v, s. PENOTE ETAL 3,206,378

EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Viucsu'r S. Pinon mvo BY MEI-Vin K. Rina fi mz 33587: 7 ma TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,206,878 EXCAVATTNG MACHINE Vincent S. Penote, Shaker Heights, and Melvin K. Rear, Chesterland, Ohio, assignors to The Cleveland Trencher Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed May 2, 1963, Ser. No. 277,578 5 Claims. (Cl. 3791) This invention relates in general to excavating machines, and more particularly to a novel bucket construction for an excavating machine.

Excavating or trenching machines are generally provided with a series of excavating buckets secured together by chains, or attached to the periphery of an excavating Wheel. The buckets generally have rooter teeth mounted on their leading edges, and are adapted to be forced into the earth or soil, for scooping it up, and moving it to a discharge station on the machine, where generally some mechanism, such as a conveyor, is adapted to receive the loads from the buckets, for discharging the excavated material to a side of, or other location with respect to the excavation.

Each of the excavating buckets may conventionally be formed from an arcuate shaped member defining side and outer walls for the bucket, and may also be provided with a plurality of laterally spaced fingers or tines, extending inwardly from adjacent the rear edge of the bucket, to form a semi-open back for the respective bucket.

This arrangement of tined back bucket is conventionally use-d in clay or more heavy types of soil, with the tines assisting in and generally being adequate, for retaining 21 load of such soil in the respective bucket up to the discharge station. As is well known in the art, these tines or fingers, while aiding in retaining a load in the bucket, permit the buckets to pass a stationary cleaner member or members, which may project into the bucket between the fingers, and forcibly eject the load from the bucket. The tines or fingers are conventionally removably secured to the rear edge of the respective bucket by means of cast or forged socket members which are permanently attached, generally by welding, to the arcuate rearward lip or edge of the respective bucket.

In United States Patent 2,338,616, issued January 4, 1944, to Albert R. A-skue, there is disclosed a type of socket which is conventionally used for removably attaching the fingers or tines to the rear edge of an arcuate bucket. However, because buckets are made in various widths for different sizes and types of digging units, and since the radius of curvature of the top wall-s of the buckets changes when the bucket is produced in various widths, the attachment of the prior art arrangements of finger socket to the rear edge of the bucket has produced many problems, since with the different bucket curvatures, it is usually necessary to overweld and fill in considerable voids on the conventionally curved base of the tine socket, in an attempt to adequately secure the sockets to the respective bucket.

The present arrangement provides a tine or finger socket which can be economically formed from standard metal stock, such as cylindrical bar stock, and which provides a more effective and stronger socket mounting for securing the fingers or tines on an excavating bucket.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a novel bucket arrangement for an excavating machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curved or arcuate type of bucket having socket mounted fingers or tines forming a semi-open back for the bucket, and wherein the finger sockets are formed from standard bar stock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curved or arcuate type of bucket having socket mounted fingers or tines forming a semi-open back for the bucket, and

3,206,878 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 wherein each of the time sockets has means thereon, whereby a good fit or engagement is provided between the socket and the bucket for different sizes of excavating buckets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel socket for mounting a back time or finger on the bucket.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a socket of the latter mentioned type which is economical to produce and highly effective in operation.

-A still further object of the invention is to provide an excavating machine arrangement wherein the buckets are equipped with semi-open backs in the form of spaced tines or fingers and wherein a novel socket arrangement is provided for securing such tines or fingers to the respective bucket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational, generally FIG. 4 is a generally perspective View of one of the socket members utilized to attach the fingers or tines to a bucket, and illustrating in particular the elliptical, diagonally flat end attaching surface on the socket member;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end elevational view of the.

socket member of FIG. 4 showing the opposite end there- .of as compared to the end shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane of line 66 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view generally similar to FIG. 6, but showing a fragmentary portion of a time or finger.

assembled with the socket member; FIGS. 8 through 12 are reduced size, sectional views illustrating various other attaching arrangements in the.

mounting of the tines or fingers in the sockets.

Referring now again to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an arcuate portion of a well known type of mobile trenching machine digging wheel. Such a digging wheel is adapted to be mounted on a conventional trenching machine comprising a motor driven vehicle having at one end a carriage which rotatably supports the power driven digging wheel. The digging wheel may broadly comprise a pair of spaced annular ring portions 10 connected together by a series of buckets 12 attached to the rings, as by means of fasteners 14. The buckets 12 may be of the well known generally arcuate configuration illustrated, comprising side wall portions 12a and a. transverse bridging outer wall portion 12b defining themembers 20, with which the present invention is particularly concerned.

As aforementioned, in the past, the tines or fingers 18 have been conventionally attached to a bucket by means of forged or cast socket members having arcuate surfaces thereon which permit coaction between the rear edge of an arcuate bucket and such arcuate socket surfaces, for

positioning the bucket sockets along different sizes or arcuate configurations of buckets, while still providing for maintaining the axes of the sockets generally parallel to the sides of the bucket, and as shown for instance in the aforementioned US. Patent 2,338,616.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 7, in accordance with the instant invention, the socket 20 may be conveniently formed from standard cylindrical bar metal stock, such as for instance one and one-half inch hard rolled 1020 steel bar stock. One end 21 of the socket member extends generally perpendicular to the axis thereof and is provided with a passageway or opening 22 therein; a transverse opening 22a, communicating with opening 22, may also be provided for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The other end of the socket is provided with a planar surface 24 which is tipped at preferably an angle of approximately 38 with respect to the end surface 21 of the socket member. Surface 24 is thus of elliptical configuuration, with the major axis .of the ellipse being preferably disposed in alignment with aforementioned opening 22a, as best seen in FIG. 4.

Each of the socket members is adapted to receive therein an associated tine 18 which may also be formed of conventional bar stock material, and such tine or finger is adapted to be retained in its respective socket by means of, for instance, a rolled pin 26 extending through a transverse opening 28 in the respective tine member. The ends of the pin 26 extend into the aforementioned opening 22a in the socket member, thus retaining the tine or finger in assembled relation with the socket. If it is ever necessary to replace the tine, the pin 26 can be readily driven out and a new tine can be inserted in the socket, together with a pin for holding it therein.

The finger sockets are assembled along or adjacent the rear edge of the bucket in laterally spaced relationship, as shown, and during positioning of the sockets, each is rotated about its lengthwise axis a sufiicient amount to maintain the lengthwise axes of such sockets running generally parallel to the side wall portions 12a of the respective bucket. In such position, the flattened elliptical surface 24 of each of the sockets coacts with the arcuate under surface of the respective outer wall portion 12b of the bucket in a close proximity or almost fiat metal-to-metal condition, and greatly facilitates the welding as at 30 of each socket to the respective bucket. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the outer sockets are rotated a greater amount than are the inner sockets to obtain the aforediscussed relationship. Usually only a single fillet weld around the socket of the outer edge of surface 24, the latter being disposed in complete confronting relation with the bucket wall 12b, is all that is necessary to assure a very secure and strong joint.

In the prior art arrangements of sockets with their arcuate surfaces of the socket coacting with the arcuate surface of the bucket, substantial filling welds were required, which not only materially increased the cost of the bucket construction, but also resulted in a Weaker bucket construction. With the generally parallel alignment .of the finger sockets for each of the buckets, so that they run generally parallel to the side wall portions of the respective bucket, cleaning of the buckets by a bucket cleaner extending thereinto is possible, since the bucket cleaner can thereby comb or force any dirt out of the bucket.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 12 there are shown modified forms for attaching one of the tines to a socket. In the FIG. 8 arrangement, the tine 32 has a recess 34 therein, which receives a bolt or fastener member 36 threaded through the side wall of the respective socket.

FIG. 9 discloses a tine 38 which has a split end 3801, and which is adapted to coact with a set screw member 40 threaded through the respective socket, for forcing the split end apart, and thus holding the time in frictional engagement in the respective socket.

FIG. discloses a finger or tine member 42 having a circumferential groove 42a therein in which is disposed 4 a resilient ring, such as a split ring 44, which frictionally engages the confronting wall of the socket, for holding the tine in assembled relation.

FIG. 11 uses a finger or tine 46 which is held in place by means of a set screw 48 threaded through the side wall of the respective socket.

FIG. 12 discloses an arrangement wherein the end of the tine .or finger is split as at 50 and may also be provided with a grooved portion 52 which receives a pin 54 extending through corresponding openings in the socket wall.

From the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides a novel and economical socket arrangement for detachably securing fingers or tines to an excavating bucket, and wherein such sockets can be used with a great many sizes of buckets without the need of providing custom made sockets for each respective size of bucket, and wherein such socket arrangement is materially stronger as compared to heretofore known arrangements. The invention also provides an excavating machine having a novel bucket arrangement for providing semi-opened back buckets, and one that can be readily used with conventional bucket cleaning devices for cleaning the dirt or earth out of the buckets.

The terms and expressions which have been used are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown or described, or portions thereof, and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

We claim:

1. In an endless bucket equipped digging unit for a mobile excavating machine, said digging unit comprising laterally spaced support means on which are mounted a plurality of spaced buckets, each of said buckets comprising side walls extending outwardly from the support means and a bridging transverse outer arcuate wall defining the depth of the respective bucket, a plurality of laterally spaced socket members secured along the rear edge of the outer wall of each of the buckets and extending inwardly therefrom toward said support means, each of said socket members being of generally cylindrical configuration and comprising in the exposed end thereof a recess, a tine disposed in each recess, the tines forming a semi-open back for the respective bucket, the other end of each of said socket members comprising a generally planar surface disposed obliquely with respect to the lengthwise axis of the respective socket member and extending completely across the respective socket member, said planar surface being oriented into generally surface-to-surface engagement with the confronting surface of said outer wall, the axes of said socket members being disposed in planes extending generally parallel to the planes of said side walls, and weld means attaching each of said socket members to said outer wall.

2. A digging unit in accordance with claim 1 including means on each of said socket members for detachably securing the associated tine thereon.

3. In an endless bucket equipped digging unit for a mobile excavating machine, said digging unit comprising laterally spaced support means on which are mounted a plurality of spaced buckets, each of said buckets cornprising side Walls projecting outwardly from said support means in generally parallel relationship and a bridging transverse outer Wall defining the depth of the respective bucket, said outer wall being of arcuate configuration in end elevation, a plurality of laterally spaced generally cylindrical socket members secured by Welds to the inner side of said outer wall adjacent the rearward edge thereof, each of said socket members comprising in the free end thereof a recess for receiving therein an associated tine for providing a semi-open'back for the respective bucket, and the other end of each of said socket members being of generally planar configuration extending com pletely across the respective socket member and obliquely to the axis of the respective socket member to define a generally flat elliptical configuration, each of said socket members being rotated a predetermined amount before being attached to said outer wall by said welds for providing proximate surface-to-surface engagement between the elliptical end surface on each of the socket members and the confronting arcuate surface of said outer wall whereby said socket members are securely attached to said outer Wall in a high strength arrangement and whereby the axes of said socket members extend in planes extending generally parallel to said side walls.

4. A digging unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein said socket members are formed of steel cylindrical bar stock, said welds attaching each socket member to said outer wall encompassing the periphery of said elliptical configuration of the respective socket member.

5. A digging unit in accordance with claim 4, wherein each socket member has an opening extending through the side thereof into communication with said recess, the axis of said opening being disposed in general alignment with a plane disposed perpendicular to said elliptical configuration and passing through the major axis of said elliptical configuration.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,912 5/29 Nefi 28720.2 2,219,599 10/40 Penote 189-36 2,238,134 4/41 Schoen 24842 2,308,565 1/43 Mitchell 18936 2,338,616 1/44 Askue 37-91 2,491,008 12/49 Lake 24842 3,037,306 6/62 Meyer et a1. 3791 3,062,567 11/62 Dewitt 285189 3,091,044 5/63 Penote 37-142 relied on, a publication of the Wales-Strippit Corp., North 20 Tonawanda, NY. Catalogue H. 1st Edition.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN ENDLESS BUCKET EQUIPPED DIGGING UNIT FOR A MOBILE EXCAVATING MACHINE, SAID DIGGING UNIT COMPRISING LATERALLY SPACED SUPPORT MEANS ON WHICH ARE MOUNTED A PLURALITY OF SPACED BUCKETS, EACH OF SAID BUCKETS COMPRISING SIDE WALLS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SUPPORT MEANS AND A BRIDGING TRANSVERSE OUTER ARCUATE WALL DEFINING THE DEPTH OF THE RESPECTIVE BUCKET, A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY SPACED SOCKET MEMBERS SECURED ALONT THE REAR EDGE OF THE OUTER WALL OF EACH OF THE BUCKETS AND EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM TOWARD SAID SUPPORT MEANS, EACH OF SAID SOCKET MEMBERS BEING OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICL CONFIGURATION AND COMPRISING IN THE EXPOSED END THEREOF A RECESS, A TIME DISPOSED IN EACH RECESS, THE TINES FORMING A SEMI-OPEN BACK FOR THE RESPECTIVE BUCKET, THE OTHER END OF EACH OF SAID SOCKET MEMBERS COMPRISING A GENERALLY PLANER SURFACE DISPOSED OBLIQUELY WITH RESPECT TO THE LENGTHWISE AXIS OF THE RESPECTIVE SOCKET MEMBER AND EXTENDING COMPLETELY ACROSS THE RESPECTIVE SOCKET MEMBER, SAID PLANER SURFACE BEING ORIENTED INTO GENERALLY SURFACE-TO-SURFACE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONFRONTING SURFACE OF SAID OUTER WALL, THE AXIS OF SAID SOCKET MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED IN PLANES EXTENDING GENERALY PARALLEL TO THE PLANES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, AND WELD MEANS ATTACHING EAC OF SAID SOCKET MEMBERS TO SAID OUTER WALL. 